GoKawiilProposal calls for enzyme that reverse-translates proteins into DNA or RNA
A proposed grand challenge in biology asks researchers to engineer a protein catalyst capable of reading an unlabeled peptide chain and writing a corresponding nucleic acid strand without relying on a template, barcode, or lookup database. Success would require demonstrating the method on at least 100 preregistered random peptides of 50+ amino acids, achieving 90% sequence accuracy, average read lengths above 25 residues, and quality scores of at least Q10.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Reverse translation would invert the central dogma of molecular biology, letting scientists sequence proteins the way DNA is sequenced today, which remains one of biology's hardest unsolved problems since proteins lack an amplification mechanism like PCR. Solving it could revolutionize proteomics, enabling cheap, high-throughput protein identification comparable to how genomic sequencing transformed genetics.
- The challenge requires a template-free enzymatic system converting peptide sequences directly into DNA or RNA.
- Any output must remain compatible with standard sequencing and amplification tools like polymerases and ligases.
- Success requires rigorous benchmarks: 100+ peptides, 90% accuracy, 25-residue reads, and Q10 quality.
Source: millenniumproblems.bio — The Twelve Problems, 2026-09-20
Published there as: “The Millennium Problems for Biology”
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